NCAAF Public Betting & Money Percentages

College football is one of the most bet-on sports in the United States, with billions wagered every season. As more states legalize sports betting and more bettors go online, NCAAF public betting continues to grow in popularity. Understanding how the public is wagering can help you identify potential edges and make smarter bets.

In this guide, we’ll break down public betting data, explain the difference between percentage of bets and percentage of money, and show how to use these insights to your advantage.

What is NCAAF Public Betting?

Public betting refers to the wagers placed by the general betting population on college football games. Tracking public betting trends helps you see which teams or sides most bettors favor. However, the public isn’t always right, which is why professional bettors, also known as “sharps,” often take the opposite side.

By combining public betting data with money percentages and total bet volume, you can get a clearer picture of where the smart money is going.

Tips for Interpreting NCAAF Public Betting

• Look for games where the delta between bet and money percentages is large — these often indicate professional interest.
• Avoid overvaluing data from games with small sample sizes of tracked bets.
• Use public betting data alongside other tools, such as line movement, team stats, and matchup analysis, to make informed decisions.

How to Use Public Betting and Money Percentages in College Football Betting

We house betting data from numerous U.S. online sportsbooks, including "percentage of bets" and "percentage of money" on every college football game and major bet type.

• Percentage (%) of bets: The percentage of wagers on a particular side of a game. For example, if Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt had 20,000 total bets that we've tracked and 12,000 of those are on the Vols, we'd say that Tennessee has received 60% of the bets.
• Percentage (%) of money: This is the same thing except for the money. If we know the total handle, we can then calculate the percentage of money on one side or another of a bet.

Combining those two factors can help college football bettors eye bets that might be worth making. The reason is because not all bets are the same amount of money. Some bettors might place just $10 on a game, while professional bettors -- sometimes called "sharps" -- might wager $10,000.

Thus, the difference between the percentage of money and the percentage of bets can often highlight the games in which pro bettors are getting down action. And, well, they're professional and bet high amounts for a reason: It could be a good bet to take those sides.

It's also important to look at the total number of bets we're tracking, which you can see on the far right of the table above. The reason is that you don't want to put too much stock in a money vs. bet difference that has a small sample of bets. Utilizing all four factors -- bet percentage, money percentage, bet vs. money percentage (the delta), and total bets -- is recommended when using betting data to gain an advantage.

Why the Difference Matters

The difference between the percentage of bets and the percentage of money — sometimes called the “delta” — can highlight games where professional bettors are placing high-stakes wagers.

• Scenario: 60% of bets on Tennessee but 80% of the money on them suggests sharp action favoring Tennessee.
• Sharps bet large amounts for a reason: it could indicate a more favorable line or value that casual bettors might overlook.